On Friday, Thomas Naramore, the 18-month-old son of Garland County Arkansas Circuit Judge Wade Naramore and attorney Ashley Naramore, died after reportedly being left unattended in a car on a day when temperatures reached 101 degrees. While an official cause of death has not yet been announced, as the Hot Springs police are waiting on test results, according to the Arkansas Times the police preliminarily indicated the child died due to “excessive heat.”
The family called Thomas’s death a “tragic accident,” the investigation into the incident is ongoing, and many of the details are being withheld. However, the police statement on the case revealed it was Judge Naramore who made the initial call to 911.
So what of the legal consequences? Due to Garland County Prosecutor Terri Harris’s personal relationship with the judge, who had been a deputy prosecutor in the county prior to being elected to the judiciary, Harris announced she was appointing a special prosecutor in the case. The Arkansas Times reports that Scott Ellington, the prosecuting attorney from a different county, was named to investigate the case. Police have said they will not make any arrests until they confer with Ellington.
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Even if Naramore escapes criminal charges, his professional life may still be investigated. According to the Arkansas Times, complaints have been filed with the state Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission. The agency confirmed receipt but said it would await the outcome of the criminal investigation before proceeding with its own inquiry.
Family releases statement after heat-related death of Hot Springs child [THV 11]
UPDATE: Special prosecutor to handle Hot Springs child’s death [Arkansas Times]